FORM 3
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
  SMITH DAVID BRUTON
2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
10/16/2008
3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
SONIC AUTOMOTIVE INC [SAH]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
C/O SONIC AUTOMOTIVE, INC., 6415 IDLEWILD ROAD, SUITE 109
4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
__X__ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Executive Vice President
5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

CHARLOTTE, NC 28212
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)
2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)
3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)
4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Class A Common Stock 16,919 (1)
D
 

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)
2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)
4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)
6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Options to Purchase   (2) 10/23/2012 Class A Common Stock 3,000 $ 16.2 D  
Options to Purchase   (3) 04/21/2013 Class A Common Stock 2,000 $ 15.9 D  
Options to Purchase   (4) 10/23/2013 Class A Common Stock 2,000 $ 26.36 D  
Options to Purchase   (5) 04/21/2014 Class A Common Stock 10,000 $ 23.42 D  
Options to Purchase   (6) 04/21/2015 Class A Common Stock 8,000 $ 19.23 D  
Options to Purchase   (7) 10/19/2015 Class A Common Stock 20,000 $ 21.23 D  
Options to Purchase   (8) 04/19/2016 Class A Common Stock 14,405 $ 26.42 D  
Options to Purchase 04/18/2008 04/18/2017 Class A Common Stock 7,203 $ 30.07 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
SMITH DAVID BRUTON
C/O SONIC AUTOMOTIVE, INC.
6415 IDLEWILD ROAD, SUITE 109
CHARLOTTE, NC 28212
  X     Executive Vice President  

Signatures

/s/ David Bruton Smith 10/24/2008
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Includes shares of restricted stock granted pursuant to the Sonic Automotive, Inc. 2004 Stock Incentive Plan. 8,112 of these shares are subject to forfeiture, in whole or in part, based on Sonic's earnings per share performance for the 2008 fiscal year.
(2) Options to purchase vested in three equal annual installments beginning on 10/23/2003.
(3) Options to purchase vested in three equal annual installments beginning on 4/21/2004.
(4) Options to purchase vested in three equal annual installments beginning on 10/23/2004.
(5) Options to purchase vested in three equal annual installments beginning on 4/21/2005.
(6) Options to purchase vested in three equal annual installments beginning on 4/21/2006.
(7) Options to purchase vested in three equal annual installments beginning on 10/19/2006.
(8) Options to purchase vested in two equal annual installments beginning on 4/19/2007.

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, See Instruction 6 for procedure.

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